Hardware - July 2007

I have a HP Pavilion zd8120cl laptop. I bought new hard drive because I needed a faster, larger capacity drive. I don't want to clone, I'd like to reinstall everything for a fresh start. I was hoping you guys could give me some ideas of what to expect and answer some questions.

What I have:
*two discs (came with notebook)
-Operating System CD (it's xp home, servpack 2)
-Application and Driver Recovery DVD
*new hard drive
*I also bought an enclosure for the hard drive I'm taking out so I can use it as an external hd. I won't erase anything on it until I've got the new one up and running.

Questions:
1. After inserting new hard drive, I just need to boot from OS cd, right? I don't need to do anything else?
2. Every windows setup guide online recommends creating a partition for the os, how does that work? Will OS cd do it for me or do I do it myself? If so, how much space should I partition?
3. If something goes wrong, I can always put back in my old hd, right?
4. Any other tips?

2007-07-20 12:48:34 · 5 answers · asked by BB 3 in Laptops & Notebooks

2007-07-20 11:50:10 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Add-ons

my pc says i,m low on disk space, what happens if it gets full?

2007-07-20 11:48:20 · 7 answers · asked by gail m 1 in Other - Hardware

i put the computer on it went through to the icons etc and i left it for about 1/2 hour came back to use it and it did not respond. I turned it off at the mains and then put it on again but it did not turn on.

2007-07-20 11:35:55 · 14 answers · asked by penny w 2 in Desktops

i have the msi 975x platinum motheboard. can you tell me if the motherboard has a firewire ieee 1394 and usb ports on the mothebroard?

where the ieee 1394 and the usb 1 and usb 2 firewire ports are loacted on the motheboard?

where are ear and mic ports on the motheboard loacted?

does the motheboard have an intergrated graphics card?

2007-07-20 11:22:59 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Desktops

My pc has windows 98 on it and i need to restore it to a previous date. Can this be done?

2007-07-20 11:06:44 · 10 answers · asked by j-bird 1 in Desktops

So I've with through an insane amount of work troubling with this problem..I've make some steps in the right direction but haven't come up with a total fix. I'm burning dvd's using Nero 7 Ultra, purchased in hopes of fixing my continual "burn failed" mesage.

1st - I figured it was my software so I upgraded Nero to the newest, 'most expensive' version (NO HELP)
2nd - I figured I had viruses or software malfunctioning of some sort so i did a "PC Restore", which is basically reformatting the whole thing. (Actually slowed down the computer a bit, but NO HELP)
3rd - I called Dell and told them my DVD Burner was jacked up...and 5 hours later..they agreed and sent a fella to put in a new one!

The last solution helped..I'm 1/2 when burning, but it's ridiculously slow...an hour per DVD..that is, if it doesn't die out at 4%. That would be fine, BUT it used to burn in 20 minutes tops, with ZERO burns failed. What's up?! Any advice other than what I've already done would be appriciated!!

2007-07-20 10:48:57 · 5 answers · asked by jeff_rulz_3 2 in Desktops

Things like windows updates etc?

2007-07-20 10:28:33 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Desktops

each time i try to open my laptop a message appears and it says do you want to start your windows normaly and when i click on enter the laptop starts again on keeping the same message what can i do ??? please help !!

2007-07-20 09:42:37 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Laptops & Notebooks

hi i own a mac book and i was wondering how i can close the laptop without the laptop going in to standby?? help plz :)

2007-07-20 09:26:14 · 5 answers · asked by cheyennerhap 2 in Laptops & Notebooks

2007-07-20 09:13:51 · 2 answers · asked by ayana862004 2 in Laptops & Notebooks

2007-07-20 09:10:58 · 7 answers · asked by sunflowerkitty12 5 in Laptops & Notebooks

I just bought a dell inspiron 531s..........this is the RAM: 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz- 2DIMMs

What are DIMM's and if i want to put in more RAM eventually how many more sticks can i put in???

2007-07-20 09:04:18 · 4 answers · asked by jquigg09 2 in Desktops

2007-07-20 09:00:10 · 4 answers · asked by Tasha 1 in Monitors

Will it work okay?

And they're not of the same company either.

Thanks.

2007-07-20 08:53:58 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Hardware

I have a USB Pen Drive Kingston DataTraveler of 1 GB. I bought it one week ago and have been using almost every day in several diferent computers whithout any problem. All of the sudden it stoped being recognized by the computers. I tryed several computers (Windows XP) but until now I had no luck. There is no signal of life from the pen drive! Nothing happens and for the operationg system is like if there was nothing pluged to the computer.

I already tried to re-start the computer with the pen plugged in. Also checked the Hardware Managment but there is nothing there regarding the pen drive.

Is there something I can do?
Does this mean that the pen drive is "destroyed"?

Thanks for you replies!

Regards!

2007-07-20 08:25:01 · 2 answers · asked by Fernando 1 in Add-ons

I have a laptop - does that make any difference?
(I tried alt + 130 ) Do you just put your finger on alt and the numbers 1, 3, and 0 ?
Cus it didnt work for me!

2007-07-20 07:41:55 · 10 answers · asked by Lexi Lo0 2 in Laptops & Notebooks

I have an older model of the mac. There are 4 Operating Systems installed on it. What is the hot-key on boot to show me the os selection screen?

2007-07-20 07:37:56 · 2 answers · asked by Kevin C 1 in Desktops

well i baught Far Cry for computers a loooooong time ago and i couldn't play it well on my weak desktop a while ago and it worked but i couldn't see anything except red and blue. i recently baught a laptop and looked at the recommended specs and i had everything good except 1 thing. instead of 2.0GHz i have 1.80GHz. i have an Acer Aspire 3100 amd sempron mobile 3500+ with 512mb ram and a ati radeon 1100Xpress 128mb graphic card just like it was recomended. the game however played extremely slow does anyone know where to buy or if it is even necessary that i buy GHz or if even can buy it? Thanks in advance!

2007-07-20 06:48:01 · 5 answers · asked by dr. mysterio 3 in Laptops & Notebooks

I have just purchased a laptop computer and I was expecting it, since it was new, to come with a glossy screen. It came with a non-glossy screen instead. It is the Tecra A8- EZ8512. It has a WXGA TFT-active matrix display. Is this good or not? Which type of screen is better, the glossy one or the dull one?

2007-07-20 06:35:35 · 4 answers · asked by Business Major 1 in Monitors

Hey just wondering if i would do better to jump from 2 gigs of ram to 4 or to jump from 2 nvidia geforce 8600 gts cards in sli to 1 nvidia geforce 8800 gtx (drool). Thanks in advance.

2007-07-20 06:10:13 · 4 answers · asked by Dylan T 1 in Desktops

im using dvd dycrypter if that helps

2007-07-20 05:18:36 · 2 answers · asked by mike l 1 in Other - Hardware

What should i do...i remember a USB virus which used to appear even after it was Formatted. Won't the same thing happen to my USB Disk?

Model : Kingston Data Traveler 2GB

2007-07-20 05:07:57 · 3 answers · asked by zee_potter 2 in Add-ons

2007-07-20 05:06:26 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Add-ons

2007-07-20 04:42:20 · 5 answers · asked by yeah d 1 in Desktops

There is a software that i only want to install it to my USB drive and just use it out of there instead of using my desktop, can i do that? I tried installing the program called SnagIt, but it only installs it to my C drive on the desktop. how can i make it that the program is only on my flash drive. I know there are softwares that i have installed it to my C drive than copied the folder over to flash drive and just used it from there. But i was wondering if i can just skip the copy paste process by just installing it to the flash drive.

2007-07-20 04:32:20 · 1 answers · asked by Anonymous in Add-ons

Is it the same as that can of air you use for a flat tire? I have to order on line, I have no way to go to the store, so, exactly what is the correct name for it and what do I do with it? I feel so stupid asking. Looks like there are crumbs under there. I would use my vacume, but I have had keys come off so I don't dare use suction. This is a laptop.

2007-07-20 04:14:03 · 8 answers · asked by Sandi A 3 in Laptops & Notebooks

2007-07-20 04:07:28 · 6 answers · asked by BETH M 1 in Laptops & Notebooks

that mean that you still need an internet connection after you have registered to used the dvd-rom

2007-07-20 03:43:42 · 4 answers · asked by Lobster 1 in Other - Hardware

2007-07-20 03:40:38 · 8 answers · asked by John G 1 in Laptops & Notebooks